PINTS WEST

“Gotta catch ’em all” - those Bristol pubs,
pints and breweries!
The Pokemon game popular in the late 1990s is making a big come back with
Pokemon Go. Moving on from the original paper trading cards, and the
Gameboy consoles, the new “augmented reality” version of the game operates
on mobile phones and other mobile devices like iPads and tablets. It uses the device’s
GPS and a Google maps-type interface to encourage players to get out and about
in the real world and find virtual Pokemon in a variety of urban and rural locations,
allowing players to see the Pokemon in real locations through the device’s camera.
Real-world locations called Pokestops provide players with stations to replenish their
supplies of Pokeballs and other items required to capture digital Pokemon. Players
can also set ‘lures’ at Pokestops to attract Pokemon and increase their chances of
capturing the virtual creatures.
OK, so why has any of this got anything to do with real ale and great pubs? Three
reasons perhaps.
The first is that a number regional businesses are cashing in on Pokemon Go, for
example Bristol Zoo recently held a lure party that attracted thousands and raised
considerable sum of money for the zoo’s charity. Perhaps real ale pubs could do the
same to attract business and widen the real ale customer base?
The second reason is that many Bristol and Bath pubs turn out to be Pokestops,
which might increase footfall naturally, with automatic business benefits.
The third reason is that some Pokestops are situated at spots important to our
regional brewing history thereby increasing players’ knowledge of our regional beer
culture. Olly, the bar manager at the Spotted Cow, a pokestop on North Street in
Bedminster, certainly confirmed that a significant number of customers play Pokemon
Go there, and may stay in the pub for a while whilst they set lures. “It’s hard to
say whether playing Pokemon has any impact on beer sales or the general level of
business,” he says, “and it’s not clear if the players are new customers or our regulars.
Lots of the lure setters are certainly local players, but it might be that more customers
are coming in because people set lures – it’s hard to say.”
The barman at the Rising Sun in Ashton Road, south Bristol, and the bar manager
on the Grain Barge in Hotwells, were both aware that their establishments were
Pokestops and do see some customers playing, but felt there was little impact on
their businesses. As one of them said, “Pokemon parties are something that happens
in pubs on Gloucester Road and Stokes Croft; the demographic there is interested.”
However, James, a customer (enjoying Bristol Beer Factory’s Enigma red ale) on
the Grain Barge said, “I have certainly visited many more pubs in central and south
Bristol than I would normally playing Pokemon Go. I could be drinking a latte
somewhere else instead I suppose, but it’s great having a
beer waiting to catch Pokemon after setting a lure.”
Historic sites such as the Georges/Courage brewery
buildings on Victoria Street in central Bristol point players
to Bristol’s brewing past and add educational interest to
the Pokemon hunting journey. Whether there is any impact
of Pokemon Go on pubs and beer sales probably requires
further research, but it is clear for some players their
experience is enhanced by the opportunity to catch a pint
as well as a Pokemon.
Bianca Ambrose
Good cider as it used to be
Believe it or not, it is nearly 30 years since CAMRA published
its first edition of the Good Cider Guide. This book first came
out in October 1987, compiled, almost single-handed, by cider
enthusiast David Kitton.
He had originally produced an earlier version, published by Virgin,
but this was the first time that CAMRA had seriously promoted real
cider and perry to the outside world, and it is interesting today to see
how the cider industry has changed, by looking at the producers and
outlets that were around in those days.
There were around 80 producers listed in the guide, although there
were a lot more that were not included, but nothing like the hundreds of
producers that you can find today, and only about a third of them are still
going, with some areas having changed dramatically.
One of the most remarkable changes has been in Wales. This country
was traditionally a big cider and perry area, but when the guide came
out there were no known producers at all. Look how that has changed
today, where there has been a big revival in cider and perry production
and now several dozen makers.
Similarly Dorset, another traditional cider area, has taken off again
recently, with a whole range of new producers. When this guide was
published, there were only two, and neither of them are still producing.
Mill House at Overmoigne is now a museum, and has one of the most
amazing collections of cider presses to be found anywhere. Likewise,
Captain Thimbleby at Wolfeton House no longer produces, but the
eccentric medieval and Elizabethan house is open to the public (at least
it was the last time I checked).
There were, of course, a number of producers who were
subsequently bought up and closed down by the big companies. One of
them was Symonds in Herefordshire, whose family had been making
cider since 1727. But this meant little to Bulmers, who eventually
bought them and closed them down, while still making a keg cider called
Symonds Scrumpy Jack. Likewise, Bulmers did the same with Inch’s
in Devon, who had been making cider since the beginning of the 1900s.
Once again, bought up and closed down. (See, it isn’t just breweries that
do it).
Those of you who have heard of Brogdale in Kent, who have the
national collection of apple and pear trees, may not know that the cider
apples and perry pears were originally at the Government-funded Long
Ashton research Station in Bristol, and they made their own cider as well.
In the East of England there was James White Suffolk Cider, no
longer producing. When this guide came out, it seemed that every other
pub in East Anglia was selling it. And in Herefordshire, Westons was
still producing and seen in many pubs throughout the country. But by far
the largest number of outlets with cider (including a lot of off-licenses)
were stocking Bulmers, so some things never change! Indeed, in those
days Bulmers had even owned a small number of their own cider houses,
which were sold off. The one at Quatt in Shropshire is the only one still
open, although now independent.
But the list of producers who are no more is a long one. A lot of
cidermakers were also farmers, and cider had been made for generations,
and when they retired or died there was often no one to take over the
business. But luckily, as well as the hundreds of new producers, some of
the family businesses are still there. So you can still say hello to makers
like Roger Wilkins and Derek Hartland, both cidermakers in the old
tradition, while welcoming all of the new ones as well.
And I hope that they don’t mind me saying this, but thank goodness
that a lot of the newer producers are just as eccentric as the old ones!
Mick Lewis
The Orchard Inn
South West Cider Pub of the Year
On Wednesday the 29th June, the Bristol & District branch
of CAMRA’s ‘APPLE’ group (which focuses on increasing
the promotion and awareness of real cider and perry) had
the great pleasure of presenting the Orchard Inn in Bristol with the
South West Cider and Perry Pub of the Year award, it having beaten
off stiff competition from a diverse range of areas from Cornwall to
Wiltshire.
Having won CAMRA awards before, including National Cider
and Perry Pub of the Year in 2009, the Orchard Inn – located in
Hanover Place on Spike Island – is famed nationwide for its stellar
cider collection, boasting over 20 ciders and perries, as well as up
to eight real ales served from gravity at the back of the bar. Having
won the South West regional award this year, the Orchard will now
go on to be judged nationally against the other regional winners
across the country.
Stuart Marshall (left) receives the award certificate from Nick Jarman
A great evening was had by the 20-odd people that turned up
from the local Bristol & District CAMRA branch, as well as a few
notable presences from much further afield, including awarding
panel member Terry Cooke, who made the journey to Bristol from
Newton Abbot to oversee the Orchard in its moment of triumph!
Speaking on behalf of the awarding committee, Terry was hugely
complimentary about the Orchard Inn, praising the staff in particular,
whom he described as “friendly, knowledgeable, and very willing
to recommend tasters and ciders to the drinkers more unsure about
their palate.”
Stuart Marshall who runs the pub spent much of the evening
waxing lyrical about the virtues of different kinds of cider from
all over the country, from the drinks’ spiritual home in the South
West to some of the different types of taste and apples used in areas
such as Herefordshire and East Anglia. His level of knowledge was
certainly impressive, as was his resolve not to support ciders that
can’t be classified as ‘real’ in the purest sense, for example if they
have any apple-extract or extraneous flavours not coming from the
maturation barrels.
Located just behind the beautiful ss Great Britain on Spike
Island, the Orchard Inn is certainly worth a visit for their amazing
selection ciders – and real ale! – or even perhaps for their fish ’n’
chips or other good value food.
Nick Jarman
(Photos by Richard brooks)
If you are interested in cider and perry, or just like meeting friendly
faces, keep an eye out for forthcoming APPLE events over the coming
months, particularly in October, which is a cider promotion month
across many CAMRA groups nationwide.
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